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ATTENTION: Windows 10 users

Beta 2 build is now available!

If you just upgraded to Windows 10 or running build 10240 or greater of Win 10 pre-release you will need to download and install the new version of ZoneAlarm 14.0.157.000

Re: Does ZA blocks internet ports?

Dear Crsytral:

ZAISS provides stateful packet inspection(SPI). It blocks all unsolicited inbound traffic. The only ports that are open are the ones you or your computer open. To check active ports, you can use the command, netstat -abno, from the command line. Or, download OpenPorts v.1.0, a better command-line port mapper. If you prefer a GUI-type port mapper, try CurrPorts v.1.30.

Re: Does ZA blocks internet ports?

The router's hardware and the software's firewall are seperate and independant of each other.

If ports in the router are left open (instead of closing them after the activity was finished) or forwarded, then the software firewall will still protect and stop unwanted inbound connections.

If the software firewall has opened ports in addition to the hardware firewall opened ports, then the software firewall will still stealth the open ports to the unwanted parties and still let the allowed connections to the application using it. So you are still protected. I other words, if the open port was attempted to receive email or contact the bios and the open port is something like 6667, it is not going to work. Only the mIRC or the IRC will work for the port 6667, for example.

The risk of open ports versus closed ports is a long debate.
So is the merit of stealthing of ports.

Technically speaking, all ports could be left open, but they could be stealthed at the same time by the software firewall- hence any unwanted connections are dropped. The open ports will never reveal their presence (although the PC itself is known to be there, since it has an IP).

If all ports are closed and there is no stealth, then the ports will show that they are there, but never correctly respond to improper inbound traffic and remain closed. The ports and the computer are revealed. This is a default nature of a "harden" computer with no firewall/ or a simple firewall.

If the ports are open and not stealthed, then the ports show themselves and will respond only to the correct connections that make contact. If the attempts to connect are the wrong attempts - such as IRC or mIRC attempting the email ports, then those connections will fail. But at the same time the risk is high- worms and troyans will make many attempts to enter and many will succeed. If there is a software firewall in place it will use stately packet inspection or packet inspection and prevent the worms and troyans from entering into the computer. Thus even if it allowing open ports, it is still protecting.

The dangers of open ports is sooner or later, the allowed application will sooner or later let in some approved server and it will infect the PC or allow a hacker to take over the PC. Also file sharing and IRC have their risks- they have their own special breed of troyans and worms to infect the user's PC. Opening ports for the IRC means all IRC servers can be entering - there are a few "bad" servers with little else than just sending worms or troyansand eventually this bad server will infect the PC. Sooner or later the same will happen with P2P.
{the other trouble with P2P/IRC is often the downloaded content is just a disguise for carrying the cpontent of malware, troyans and worms or viruses. These shared files are a risky download and should be thoroughly/overly scanned before they are opened}.

Re: Does ZA blocks internet ports?

It should not affect the game. But make sure the ports that need to be opened are opened this way. And if the game is played from a specific server or servers, then add that server(s) as Trusted in the Zones of the Firewall. Things should go smooth.